Moving company dupes patriotic Americans

Published: April 27, 2015 6:31 PM EST

LEE COUNTY, Fla. – A company, claimed to be owned by military veterans, is under investigation for bad businesses practices.

The company has several names: Marine Corps Movers, Marine Movers and Florida Veteran Movers. The owner, John Boston Hill III, advertised his company as a locally-owned, veteran business. In advertisements, he stated they are “licensed, insured and bonded.” However, customers that WINK News Call for Action spoke with said they have had horrible experiences with Hill, and they want to warn others.

WINK News talked with customers dating back to 2013. Teresa, who asked we not use her last name, said Hill’s company moved her and her husband in Ohio.

“We were trying to keep it local, so I was searching on Craigslist and found the ad that is posted there and still appears there, stating ‘Salute the troops, hire Marine Corps Movers, heroes at work.’ I thought, well that’s great.”

However, Teresa said her experience with the company was anything but great.

“These two gentleman came with a rented Budget truck and nothing else…They did not know how to load that truck. They put our mattresses and box springs down flat, instead of standing them up and they walked all over them. They damaged a number of pieces of furniture, they broke the leg off a headboard, they dropped my jewelry chest out on the driveway.”

James Albergo, who moved from Pennsylvania to Cape Coral had a similar story. He too said he had items, like his dish set broken, but he also said he was missing several things and to top it off, he found items that were not his. While speaking with WINK News, Albergo pointed out just some of the items delivered that were not his.

“This bed frame, somebody had to go out and buy themselves a bed frame. This is one of those packages that was absolutely loaded with this woman’s clothes, one of them I threw out and there were other boxes. I have never seen that cooler before. This here is some kind of Lincoln Continental truck that looks like some sort of model truck.”

Albergo said he called Hill just moments after the delivery, when he realized the items were not his but Hill never came to pick-up the boxes. Albergo said he tried a week later, but has never heard from Hill.

WINK News spoke with one other customer, who had a similar to story to Teresa and Albergo. All three of them said they had tried several times to contact Hill after their moves but he never returned those phone calls or emails.

WINK News uncovered Hill does not have his company licensed and the state is investigating several complaints filed against the company.

WINK News reached out to John Boston Hill III through emails, phone calls and stopped by his home in Tampa; however, he declined to speak with us and refused to provide any proof his company was properly registered.

In addition, a spokesperson for the Marine Corps told WINK News they do not have any record of service for Hill. WINK News gave Hill more than a month to provide proof of service; however, at the time this story was published he had not sent any records of service.

“These guys are absolute thieves and scammers, and they’re going to take your money and even destroy or not deliver your stuff,” Albergo warned.